Strain clamp for electrical conductors



June 12, 1923.

w. 'r. GODDARD STRAIN CLAMP FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Original Filed Dec. 8, 1917 l!!! w I z IWZcrZ ga ZZ-Zd WITNESSEi p 6 I Patented June 12, 1923.

wiit'rnnr; oommanior VICTOR,"NEW YORK; AssIGnoa, BY MEsiv AssIGNMENTs,

"-"ro nocxr,insuranceooaronn'rro v, OnnntrnvMaEpnnmrrANn, A COBPORAP l JsTRAnt cLAnrToR' ELECTRICAL jco vnucronsflApplication filed December, 8,1917, Serial no 206,207!:Renewed l'anuary '15, 1923.

To a ZZ wl wm-it o Beitknown thati.;I, WALTER T. GoonARD, a citizen of the United States, and-af resident of Victor, in the county of Ontario and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strain Clamps for ElectricalConductors; and-I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying :drawings,

formingv a part of this specification, and to, the reference charactersn arked thereon, I -The object of my invention is to improve the construction of strainclamps of the type employed in connection with electrical conductors or cables, where they areattached either to aground anchor or to a supporting pole. More particularly, the invention has for its purposejto lessen the cost of such va clamp as well as-to facilitateits operation. In a further aspect, the invention is designed to afford an extremely rigid clamp that fill effectually prevent any slipping of a cable, afterit is once positioned, and also make 1t possible ,to assemble it readilyinclamping relation. To these and other ends the invention consists ,in certain improvements and combinations of, parts,.all as will be hereinafter more fully. described, the novel features being pointed out in the clalms at. the endof the specification V In the drawings;

Figurerl is a plan viewed/the whichthe clamp is;; made, according to my invention; i p Q, Figure 2 is a sideelevation showing one form of the device a cable clamped thereing. i HFigure-S is a top Iplanview of the clamp appearinginFigure2; i Figured is a side elevationof a r-modified form of the invention; i j. I f

Figure 5 is a transverse sectionalview on the line 5-,5 ofFigurei2;v v. f J Figure 6 isia transverse sectional view on ,the:'line-6*t of Fi'gureQ, andg I 1;;

,-=Figure7 is a'transver'sefSectiona-l vi son the line I -e ofFigur'e e9: a

iv Similar reference=- characters "throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

- For thepurpose ofiunderstanding the-general operation and; use of the device, it may be stated tbriefiy that ,where" a conducting cable is to be anchored either at one-endor atsome slippage. 1

pointbetween the ends, the clamp attached at the polnt of anchorage, and the cable and relation bya "suitable temporary device the clamping instrumentalities areapplied to the clamp, with the result that the conductor s retained in the -The.present device is made by stamping out a-blank such asshown in Figure ,1, from pressed steel or other suitable metal,'-and desired position" against 1 bending it upon itselfalong a longitudinal central line, forming opposite clamping walls. or jaws which are subjected to additional-stamping or pressing operations to impart the required contour. Referring to Figures lfto 3, 5 and 6, the opposite walls are designated by 1 and 1 and are providedwith bolt openings 2 and 2a which receive the clamping devices or bolts 3. The clamping or seats 4: andi? of the opposite walls of. the

'devices consist of bolt heads 3 and nuts 3*, the nner faces of which are of spherical format1on and engage inwardly flared portions 5 and 5, forming seats for the cable -01? conductor 6.,- The opposite; walls terminate in outwardlyfiaring edges-'7 and 7 which permit of readily inserti-ngthe cable 6 when the clamping devices. arev loosened. After the conductor is positioned in the clamp, the

clampingnuts are tightened on the bolts and through'their cooperation with the inwardly .fla-red portions referred to, exert sufficient pressure upontheclamp-ing walls to rigidly holdthe .conductoragainst slippage between the outwardlyrfiared portions 5 and 5-". The boltope nings'in the wall 4 are'square, and

receive cooperating squared shoulders '8on' from turnv thebolts, preventing the-latter ing in the clamp.

1 In some casesit may zbedesirable to secure greater clampingaction, owing to larger sized conductorsor to a possibility of'ab- -normal"strain',- and to take care-of such a condition", I have provided the modified arj rangement. illustrated in'fFigures 4: and 7 and including a double setf of clamping in-, strunientalities;onezon each side of the conductor. Insthis :formthe wall 9 is provided with-sbolt' openings 10," which eictend-from its free edge inwardly and thus permit bolt to be removed from the wall without disengaging its nut. The opposite wall 11 has a curved edge portion l1 extended beyond the free edge of the wall 9, and its bolt openings 12 extend from a point adjacent to its free edge inwardly to a point substantially opposite the. inner extremities of the bolt openings in the wall 9. lVith this arrangement, the outermost clamping devices or bolts 13 can be moved outwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7 when the nuts 14 are loosened. The bolts are then held by the extended portion of the wall 11 and are disengaged from the opposite wall 9, thus permitting the conductor to be inserted into its seat, after which the clamping bolts 13 are moved inwardly to the position shown in full lines in Figure 7, and the clamping nuts are tightened. The walls 9 and 11 embody curved portions 15 and 16 which constitute seats for the outermost clamping devices, while the inner clamping devices engage curved seats as in the form first described.

- Arranged between the clamping devices are transverse ribsformed by the inwardly pressed portions 4 which form ribs that strengthen and brace the clamp, giving it sufiicient stiffness to prevent bending or buckling under excessive strain. The portion of the blank connecting the opposite walls is preferably cut away at 18, while the ends 19 are connected by a narrow, integral strip 20. Said ends 19 are also provided with openings 21 which are surrounded by integral inwardly projecting collars 22, preferably abutting one another at their adjacent edges and forming engaging devices or bearings for a connecting pin by which the clamp is attached to an insulator or other anchor. The opposite ends of the walls also have engaging devices or eyes 23 by which connection can be made to the clamp during the operation oi stretching the conductor preliminarily to securing it. The numerals 24 designate oppositely disposed arcuate slots or openings in the walls of the clamp to receive a bolt 25 and cooperating nut 26. The bolt 25 is adjustable within said slots 24 in order to vary the angle or curve which the free portion 27 of the cable makes with the clamped portion 6. This is used where a cable is clamped or anchored to a supporting pole at a point between the ends of the cable, the portion 27 constituting part of the loop which extends around the insulator to which the conductor is attached. As it may be desirable to increase or diminish the size of this loop in accordance with the size of the insulator and also of the conductor, this can be definitely established by adjusting the bolt 25. 28 designates a slot or recess preferably formed by inwardly pressed ribs in the sides of the clamp to receive an arcing arm that is held in place by a cooperating bolt 29.

I claim as my invention:

1! A strain clamp for electrical conducting cables consistingof an integral. blank bent upon itself .aflording opposite clamping walls in spaced relation to each other, one of said walls having bolt openings extending inwardly from its free edge, and the other of said walls being wider than the first named wall and having elongated bolt openings extending from a point adjacent to its free edge to a point substantially opposite the inner extremities of the openings in the other wall.

2. A strain clamp for electrical conducting cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itself affording opposite clamping walls in spaced relation to each other and having openings to receive bolts for drawing the walls into clamping relationship with an interposed cable, said Walls having outwardly flared portions forming a seat for a conductor and inwardly flared portions forming seats for clampingdevices.

3. A strain clamp for electrical conduct-' ing cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itself affording opposite clamping walls in spaced relation to each other,

one of said walls having bolt openings extending inwardly from its free edge, and the other of said walls being wider than the first named wall and having elongated bolt openings extending from a point adjacent to its free edge to a point substantially opposite the inner extremities of the openings in the other wall, both of the walls having outwardly flared portions forming a seat for a conductor and inwardly flared portions forming seats for clamping devices.

4. A strain clamp for electrical conducting. cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itself affording opposite clamping walls in'space'd relation to eachother,

one of said walls having bolt openings extending inwardly from its free edge, and the other of said walls having an extended curved edge portion and elongated bolt openings extending from a point adjacent posite the inner extremities of the openings in the other wall.

5. A strain clamp for electrical conducting cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itself affording opposite clamping walls in spaced relation to each other, one of said walls having bolt openings extending inwardly from its free edge, and the other of said walls having an extended curved edge portion and elongated bolt openings extending from a point adjacent to its free edge to a point substantially opposite the inner extremities of the openings in the other wall, both of the walls having to its free edge to a point substantially op- Y outwardly flared portions forming a seat for a conductor and inwardly flared portions forming seats for clamping devices.

6. A strain clamp for electrical conducting cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itself affordingopposite clamping walls in spaced relation to each other,

the walls having outwardly flared portions forming a seat for the conductor, inwardly flared portions with bolt openings therein arranged on one side of said seat and forming seats for clamping devices, and flat portions with bolt holes therein on the other .side of the conductor seat-forming seats for outermost clamping devices.

8. A strain clamp for electrical conducting cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itself aflording opposite clamping walls in spaced relation, to each other,

the walls having outwardly flared portions forming a 'seatfor a conductor, inwardly flared portionsWith bolt openings therein arranged on one side of said seat and form ing seats for clamping devices, flatportions with bolt openings therein on the other side of the conductor seat forming seats for outermost clamping devices, and

an extended curved edge portion on one of the walls having elongated bolt openings extending from a point adjacent to its outer edge to a point substantially opposite the inner extremities of the cooperating openings in the other wall. a v

9. A strain clamp for electrical conducting cables consisting of an integral blank bent upon itselfto' aflord opposite clamp-I ingwalls in spaced relation to each other,

clamping devices to draw the walls into clamping relationship with an interposed cable, transversely extending ribs strengthening the clamping walls, and 'engaging devices at'the endsofthe' clamp for" the attachment of cable stretching means.

WALTER 'T. GODDARD. 

